In general, a method of curing by administering powder-state medicine through the nasal cavities can be employed for a patient with nasal allergy, asthma and the like. In this curing method, the powder-state medicine filled in a capsule is administered into the nasal cavities by using a medicine administering device for nasal cavities.
One device that may be used for this curing method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 59-34267 (referred hereinafter to as a conventional technique).
In the device according to this conventional technique, a pump section is disposed at the air inflow-side of a cylindrical member. The above-mentioned cylindrical member is formed at its air outflow-side with a concave-shaped section to which a capsule is to be inserted. A tip end section is fitted to the concave-shaped section so as to form a capsule accommodating section. An air introduction passage is formed from the capsule accommodating section to the pump section. Additionally, a valve mechanism is disposed at the other-side of the above-mentioned pump section. By this valve mechanism, air is supplied through the air introduction passage when the pump section is pressed, while air is sucked into the pump section from outside when the pump section is restored. Furthermore, the device is provided with a cap fitted to the above-mentioned cylindrical member and the tip end section. The cap is provided thereinside with an axially extending pin, and arranged such that a hole is formed in the capsule by installing the cap under a condition in which the concave-shaped section of the above-mentioned cylindrical member and the tip end section having an opened section are fitted with each other.
In the thus arranged conventional technique, first in order to form the hole in the capsule in preparation of administration, the tip end section is fitted to install the capsule in the accommodating section after the capsule filled with the powder-state medicine is inserted in the concave-shaped section. Then, the cap is installed so that the pin is inserted in the opened section of the tip end section, so that holes are formed at axially opposite sides of the capsule under the action of the pin.
Subsequently, in order to administer the medicine, the cap is removed from the cylindrical member. The tip end section is inserted into one of the nasal cavities of the patient, and then the pump section is pressed, so that air from the pump section flows in the capsule through the air introduction passage. The medicine within the capsule is transferred to the nasal cavities of the patient through the opened section. By repeating insertion of the device to the nasal cavities alternately in turn, administration of the medicine is accomplished.
Additionally, in the conventional technique, administration of the medicine to the nasal cavity is made alternately to the left and right nasal cavities, and therefore a clearance is formed between the capsule accommodating section and the capsule to prevent all of the medicine within the capsule from being administered only upon one pressing action to the pump section. An arrangement is made such that the medicine within the capsule is administered for one nasal cavity upon about four actions.
Also, since the medicine administration to the nasal cavity is made for each of the nasal cavities in the above-mentioned conventional technique, it is necessary to repeat the pressing action to the pump section and the inserting action of the cylindrical member into the nasal cavity, so that administering medicine is troublesome.
Additionally, since formation of the hole in the capsule is carried out by installing the detachable cap to the cylindrical member, the device cannot be used as a medicine administering device if the cap is lost.
Further, the powder-state medicine unavoidably drops to the pump section during hole formation. In this case, the amount of the medicine within the capsule drops below a predetermined amount, so that a necessary amount of the medicine cannot be administered to the patient and so that the device requires frequent cleaning to remove the medicine that has dropped into the pump section.
Furthermore, medicine may reach the nasal cavities of the patient without sufficient mixing between the medicine and air during the medicine administration, thereby reducing medicine administration efficiency.